Author's Note: Omg I didn't think I was gone THAT long!! D; I'm so sorry everyone! School started about 2 weeks ago, so it's been rather hectic getting settled in and doing homework... Good thing I was able to finish it now, ehehehe, eeeehh... :D;

Lady Akhisane: Okay, I think I'm starting to get worried with how long it'll take to update, too. Again, I'll try to update as fast as I can, but school is a pain in the ass right now .

Finally! The next chapter!!

Chapter 7 - Princess Zelda

The day was going by swell: the sky was partially cloudy, so the sun wasn't completely beating down on us, and there was a soft breeze that cooled weary travelers, too. One could only imagine what the Postman had to go through just to deliver messages! Hyrule Field remained in its beautiful state, green, vibrant, and stunning despite dangerous creatures roaming about. Yet, even the monsters walking, running, or flying seemed to be calm. Well, not exactly calm, but just taking their day slowly. They certainly didn't try anything to disturb travelers at the moment. Moreover, Hyrule Field isn't the only spectacular sight in all of Hyrule.

There is also Hyrule Castle Town.

Citizens were bustling about and attending to their business; whether it was selling their merchandise, handling a precious object, or taking a nice walk, Castle Town was full of activity. Even in the game, it was an active area.

I couldn't help but stare in awe at the sight. Although Link and I had to enter the West Gate of Castle Town, everything was so... vivid! The guards making their rounds in single-file lines, the building where that old doctor works in, and all the people around us. It was all real! I could even hear music in the distance where the main square was located! My jaw dropped slowly as my eyes scanned over every little detail of the area, wanting to see more and more of it. But they stopped as I felt something within me. It was a similar feeling to my own: awe, yet it wasn't mine. I had a pretty good idea whose it was... Placing my hand to my chest and closing my eyes, I asked in my head,

"Is there something wrong, Sepherene?" No voice came. Or at least, not until a few seconds...

"Everything is so much bigger..." she replied, invisible to all, "I can't believe how much it's changed..."

Yes, Sepherene, the elegant woman we met in those mysterious woods. The story she told us was quite long, but interesting enough to keep me from sleeping; at least when we left the forest, it wasn't dark. She used to live here in Castle Town as an ecstatic youth. What I mean by "used to" is when she was alive. Back in the forest, I saw her as a floating blue orb; it turns out that she's dead, and that is her soul. The reason why she was chained like that? Sepherene was being punished...

Sepherene was born here in Castle Town, way back in the day, and lived with a rather wealthy family. I assumed that it's further back than the timeline for "Ocarina of Time," because even then, the town was large. Anyway, she was a young girl full of spirit; always helping her family, practicing good morals, and praying to the goddesses every night and day. Oh, by the way, since she lived so far back in the past, everyone practiced magic. It was much more popular in that time, where many were either born with it or taught how to use it. Some people used it for good purposes, while others used it for their own maniacal deeds. Sepherene's general power was hypnotism.

Of course, she never used it... At least, without knowing it. She absolutely loved singing, and every time she sung, her powers would go to work. In fact, it took her some time to figure out why men slobbered all over her whenever she sung... And when she did find out about it, she never used it for deception. I assumed that many thought her to be a perfect individual. And I was right! Even the goddesses were impressed by Sepherene's obedience, kindness, and faith.

So, they gave her a gift.

Power over the elements was something envied and wanted by magicians everywhere; if they controlled all four, it's probably equivalent to controlling the whole planet. At least that's what they thought, I didn't see how precious it was (besides being an awesome power!)... Sepherene was granted the power of Water, for it is a calm element, intuitive, and nurturing. They saw it fit for a woman like her. And yet, even this amazing gift, she refused to practice. Along with the power over Water, an Elemental animal was given along with it. That's where she met Kappa. She and her family couldn't think of a name for it, so they just called it Kappa. It was a mischievous little thing that gave trouble to the maids in Sepherene's home, but quite ironically, it was respectful and knew proper etiquette. Despite this strange personality, it befriended its mistress quickly and obeyed only her. It was meant to protect her at all times, but since there really was no danger to protect her from, Kappa just helped around the house when she told it to.

At some point, Sepherene finally found a man who didn't love her for her mesmerizing voice. He loved her for herself, and she adored him in return. They were a perfect couple; but the man she fell in love with only wanted her family's wealth. One night, when they were alone in Hyrule Field, he beat her there, where no one would be able to help her. Thinking that she died, he moved on to her parents to take their money and belongings. She was only knocked out and woke up a few hours later; heartbroken, Sepherene lost everything... This was the start of a growing hatred towards men.

When she returned home, her parents were dead on the floor, and the house was ransacked and stripped of everything valuable. Thankfully, Kappa was able to find an easy hiding spot due to its small size. Finally accepting the powers that she was given, Sepherene traveled out to Hyrule Field to live there and practice with Kappa. She found her way to Lake Hylia, the perfect place to use water. In fact, she lived in an abandoned floating house where Fyer now works shooting people out of a cannon! Over time, she mastered the element, and then moved on to what would reel in men to kill:

Her singing.

She sung every night when no one would really hear her before making her move. Eventually, Sepherene's power had become too strong, and drew men in anyway in the night to her current living space. From there, she would drown the men, then have Kappa bury them somewhere else. Kappa spoke against doing this, but her hatred had grown, and she continued to do this for two years.

Finally, the goddesses were forced to step in. For misusing a great gift, they created a new punishment to dangerous magicians such as Sepherene. They pulled her soul straight from her body, and imprisoned her in a place cut off from everything else, keeping Kappa along with her alive (for it is immortal, and was ordered to eliminate anyone who ever found the prison). There was no heaven, no hell, or anywhere where she could go. Chained for eternity, Sepherene "lived" in that state for the longest time, staying above that wretched tree stump, trapped in that terrible forest. She needed no food, no water, nothing, yet it was equivalent to experiencing over one thousand deaths. There was nothing that she could do to escape, and if she ever tried singing, she wouldn't have the energy to do so; her power has not been taken away, but rather reduced; for every magician's power is always attached to their soul.

And so, Sepherene decided that if she were able to escape and rest in peace, then she would have to conserve her energy for that very day: the day she senses a great power that would be able to break those chains. Unfortunately, she has brought many there, and all have failed. And if they did reach her chains and touch it, their magic power would be drained and they would die from it, their bodies disintegrating into thin air. Throughout all those failures, Sepherene was able to reflect on her life, and grew ashamed of herself for doing all those terrible deeds. And even if she learned her lesson and everything, the goddesses would not hear her pleas.

Then suddenly, she felt a different kind power, like nothing she's ever felt before. Apparently, it was mine. However, Kappa didn't want Link to come near her since it knew her hate towards men, and actually grew used to it. Sepherene's hate had reduced, but she still didn't trust men. That's why Link was Kappa's primary target, but still, I was no exception to that order the goddesses gave; seriously, it nearly drowned me! Anyway, she said that one with that much power will be able to hold her soul within their own, and gain her power including the Water element and the hypnotism. I had no idea how to hold her soul, but it turns out, she just entered inside me like a ghost, and now we can speak telepathically! It's pretty cool, but a bit awkward knowing that someone who's been dead for a while is inside my body...

Once she, uh, settled herself in my soul, or whatever, I felt... I dunno, more powerful? Like I was gaining more energy to do things, or something like that. After that, a mark was traced onto my left hand: it was a large circle divided into four on the inside. On the upper left of the circle was an upside-down triangle; it looked familiar, and if I'm correct, it's the alchemy sign for Water. The mark glowed a bright blue before dimming into a regular mark. Now it just looks like someone drew it with a pen.

One more question was to be asked: What happened to Kappa? Well, actually, it's hiding in my bag; sadly, the one that's holding all my clothing! I felt something shuffle around on my back. I swung my backpack around to the front, and opened the top. Kappa looked up at me with pleading black beads, obviously asking me for a bigger space to hide in.

"Hey! Don't wet my stuff with the water in your head!" I ordered in alarm, pushing its head forward. It only whimpered telepathically, and I tried to ignore it. I swung it back around and continued walking with Link.

I traced my finger above the blue mark as I stared at it; those three empty spaces give me the feeling that I'm gonna have to find the rest of the elements. I bet that's how it's gonna go! That's how it always goes when you have to collect something anyway (it's common gamer knowledge).

"Theresa?" Sepherene's voice called. My thoughts returned to the present, and I closed my eyes, put my hand to my chest, and replied,

"Yes, what is it?"

"Are you sure that you haven't collected another soul other than mine?"

"Ugh, YES! I'm sure!" And with that, I tried to block her voice out of my mind. That brings me to another mystery... When Sepherene entered my soul, she said that she could sense traces of another one. However, it's very faint, and it's a possibility that there is one already inside of my soul. But what else could it be? I mean, I don't remember getting another one before her...

"Theresa?" I flinched from my standing position, and looked up to my left side. Link called me. "Why do you look... serious?"

"Oh, I'm not serious or anything," I answered, "That's just my face whenever I'm thinking... or daydreaming." Turning his head away, Link continued walking into the town with me following his tracks. Yeah, I got that a lot from my family; they'd always think that I'm sad or angry 'cause I always have such a serious face when I daydream. Or was he still concerned about when I tried avoiding him in the forest? Hey, that wasn't my fault! Sepherene explained that I'm able to express her greatest emotion and I'll be able to show it myself! It wasn't my fault... I swear...

I also sort of chuckled to myself as I realized what he asked. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies, "The Dark Knight." I loved Batman, especially the Joker!

Anyways, we made our way to the main square of Castle Town, and it was filled with so much people! Everyone was running their own errand; I even recognized some of them! However, I was rather surprised that they didn't stop their errands at the fact that the savior of all Hyrule was among them. I mean seriously! He's LINK!! Oh well, maybe it was because they were all turned into spirits that they had no idea, either that or they're just more composed than most people. Besides, it just saves us the trouble of running away from them.

I looked to my left to marvel at the great Hyrule Castle; however, my eager face turned into a disappointed one. All I found was a disoriented building under construction, hence some noise coming in that direction similar to hammering. The great fortress was being rebuilt.

"Hey, Link..." I said, pulling at his sleeve. He turned his head toward my direction as we walked. "Why is there so much construction over there?" Of course, I already knew: Hyrule Castle exploded when Midna sacrificed her life to kill Ganondorf, yet failed... It's a good thing that she came back to life though! Link turned away, but still answered.

"There was... an accident... that happened a while ago. That's where Hyrule Castle used to be, but now they have to rebuild it all." He began to walk in a faster pace; it must've been a terrible memory despite Midna coming back to life, thinking that she died. I slapped my forehead, but did it silently so he didn't notice. I'm so stupid for asking, why didn't I think that it would hurt him?!... Wait... I'm playing as the girl who doesn't know anything, so I'm not stupid! Right?

We took a different route instead, and went down the south road past the market. There, Link led me somewhere else, looking at a piece of paper from time to time. I wondered what it was... I peeked over his shoulder, but barely saw anything before he lowered his hand to continue our little stroll. And another teensy-weensy little detail I forgot about: EVERYTHING'S written in HYLIAN! I can't possibly read that ever in my life! It just looked like a bunch of wacky shapes and lines; if I ever need directions, I just know that I'm screwed.

Link and I turned a corner from the market, and went in the alley where gamers would find Agitha and Fanadi's place (the weird fortune-teller lady). What I didn't notice in the game was a large building next to it; it was a huge, fancy house. Well, it wasn't exactly a house, it was bigger than a two story house, but a bit smaller than a mansion. Uh, I don't know what it's called...

"This is the place," Link said. I looked at it up and down. It was like a replica of all the buildings next to it, except for some minor details such as the wall color and balconies. "The Princess currently lives here." He walked up the steps to knock on the door; I didn't follow, I was feeling too nervous. Noticing my anxiety, Link turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"I, uh... What do I do in front of a princess?" I asked, fidgeting and playing around with my thumbs. He smiled and put a hand to my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured, "Everything will be alright. Princess Zelda is a good person, trust me." Gaining some confidence, I gave a faint smile, and went to the steps. Wow, I'm meeting Princess Zelda!!... With Link!! A million butterflies were flying furiously in my stomach! He gave a firm knock on the door, and it was answered in only a few seconds by a Hylian maid. A grin grew on her face as she recognized him.

"Ah, her Highness has been expecting you," she said, "Please, please do come in!" Link entered without a sign of hesitation, whereas I followed slowly. However, the young maid raised a hand to me.

"And who might you be?" she demanded sternly. It sorta creeped me out how her sweet personality suddenly changed to a strict one.

"U... Um..."

"She's with me," Link spoke, "She needs to see the princess as well."

"Oh, well then come on in!" the maid chimed. Wow, what a character change... I wondered if all maids were like this... The interior design of the building was rather formal, yet nice. There were couches, curtains, rugs; all in floral design in heart-warming colors. The floor was a beautiful, polished wood, not a single spot to be seen! The maids and servants must get paid a lot to make a house look this nice. The maid at the door led us up some flights of stairs, passing large windows that overlooked the busy passers-by, passing large portraits of wealthy-looking families, and more. Sheesh, it looked smaller on the outside!

After a few minutes of climbing stairs and strolling through hallways, we finally reached an elegant white door with golden handles. The inside of the building looked bigger on the inside than it did on the outside! Moving on, if the handles were inspected carefully, the Triforce was symmetrically engraved on both of them. It looked so well-crafted, like it was divine... One of them was covered quickly by the servant's hand to open the door for us, and she bowed in front of us after extending her hand invitingly. I woke up from my momentary trance and returned to reality. With a silent gulp, I followed behind Link, who wasn't nervous in the least.

The room was larger compared to the rest we passed by: it had exquisite furniture, marble floors, and large windows. Even the tables were white and shiny! It also included a nice bed, with those fancy curtains and pillows. There was a tall silhouette against the light coming from a large window; pointed ears twitched at the sound of our arrival as it turned to face us... P... Princess Z-Zelda!!

Everything was so realistic and detailed! Her dress elegantly flowed from a soft breeze that squeezed past the closed window, and even some strands of her dirty blonde hair moved along with it. Zelda's delicate fingers were crossed together, and even the detailed design of her gloves were clear! The armor upon her shoulders matched her crown, necklace, and whatever the thing was that wrapped around her waist. Aqua colored jewels stood out against those accessories and made it quite attractive; the golden color shone beautifully from the light pouring in the room. Her fair skin was completely free of any blemishes and was instead covered by her royal face, a calm face with eyes as cerulean and as clear as Link's. A smile grew from her red lips.

"Greetings, Link," she said. Her voice... It sounded so beautiful! The room began to spin, and my head was getting lighter... No! I can't faint in front of her! I blinked a couple of times, and that fixed my sight; phew, good thing I didn't pass out! That would've been very embarrassing...

"Good afternoon, Princess," he returned. She bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement; then she turned her gaze to me. Although it was clear she didn't recognize me, the grin on her face did not falter one bit.

"Good afternoon," she greeted to me. Okay, that's when the room spun out of control, and my legs gave out. All I heard was Link's voice yelling "Theresa?!?!?!"

~ : ~ : ~

Light invaded my opening eyes and blurred my vision for a moment. Not long after blinking a few times, everything began to be clearer; I felt around myself. Oh, I recognized the soft feeling of a bed underneath me. It's TOO familiar. Right now, I was just facing a wall to my left with a large window in the center. Peeking downward, I saw Link and Princess Zelda seated at the table, having some tea, if not a hot beverage. I quickly shut my eyes again in the hopes of learning anything important.

"Theresa! What are you doing?!" Sepherene asked frantically in my head. She obviously knew my intentions; well, she's settled inside my soul, so it is possible that she knows what I want to do and everything... I don't know, I'm still new to this whole "soul" business. I thought it'd be similar to one of my favorite mangas called "Soul Eater," but nope, this is different.

"Ssssh!" I ordered in my head. The only reply was a 'Hmph!' and that was it. I just hoped that she wouldn't pop out and yell "Theresa's actually awake and eavesdropping!" She'd be a total snitch... Focusing on their conversation, I continued to act like I was out cold.

"But that can't be possible, Princess!" I heard Link say, "I killed him myself around six months ago!" Well, it clearly has something to do with Ganondorf! I feel so smart. The gentle sound of a teacup being lowered onto a plate reached my ears, and the Princess's voice replied.

"I am not stating that he may be alive, however I have the suspicion that a threat is slowly coming to Hyrule. For few days now, I have been receiving premonitions from the goddesses through dreams; I fear that we may not be safe for long..." She sounded so serious, it definitely can't be good. My top suspicion as well: Ganondorf. Really, there's been many times that he's resurrected, so it'd most likely be him. If I'm lucky, I won't get caught up in this business. Link will have to take care of this on his own... Really, it's one thing to defeat him over and over again in the game, and it's another thing to meet an evil villain in real life! There was an awkward silence, if not a moment of thought, that came over the two Hylians. I don't know much of the topic, so right now, it's like playing a jigsaw puzzle with 3,000 pieces. A deep, troubled sigh finally came up, and Link gave his answer.

"Very well, your Highness, I shall investigate. However..." You know that feeling that someone's watching you? Or at least when you somehow know that someone's looking at you without you making direct eye contact? Yeah, I just got that feeling. "I need to get Theresa home..." Aaaw, I feel special that Link cares for me!

"The young lady? Is her home a great distance from Hyrule?" From there, he explained the whole story of my sudden appearance, strange clothing, and how I'm possibly from a different world. Princess Zelda didn't speak at all or comment the whole time, therefore she was listening intently. He finally asked for her help if there was any possible way of returning me home; that took up a good five to ten minutes. My stomach began twisting with anxiety; will I be able to reunite with my family again? Or will I be stuck here forever? After some more silence, she finally gave an answer.

"I... am honestly not sure..." she sighed, "Judging from where she came from, it must have taken great magic to do something such as this; I am not sure if even I can do that task." I sat up quickly from the bed, eyes wide open. Link and Zelda were quite alarmed at my sudden action, though the princess looked a bit more composed than Link did.

"What do you mean? Are you saying I can't go home?!" I yelled frantically.

"Theresa, please---"

"H-How will I be able to return then?! I miss my family! I miss my friends! I wanna go home!!" I was bawling like a baby right now, and even my eyes were brimming with tears. I've been hiding all my worry and sorrow until now; now I just couldn't accept the fact that I can't escape this place. I covered my face with both my hands, which probably wasn't a good idea since my tears, and possibly saliva, were beginning to soak my face. I took a seat on the bottom of the bed, draining my eyes of its moisture. I felt someone else sit next to me, and the next thing I knew a firm arm slowly wrapped around my shoulder comfortingly. I slid both my hands downwards, trying to dry up my face; afterwards, I wiped them on the end of my dress. Well, hopefully I didn't look as bad as I thought I would be. I looked to my right, seeing that it was Link who was trying to comfort me. Thankfully, neither Link or Zelda seemed to be phased by my appearance; I could only assume that I looked decent.

"Please, Theresa," he said, looking straight at me. His clear sapphire eyes were rather mesmerizing; it's not everyday that addicted gamers get to meet their favorite character (who happens to be hot). "Don't worry, I'll make sure that you'll get home. I'll find a way... I promise." Oh, how my heart pumped! He promised me that I'd get home! Well, I was actually feeling that way because a hot guy promised to find me a way back; hopefully, it'll last long enough for him to like me, all the while without me getting injured easily! But I couldn't help but feel that it won't happen exactly like I would want. The Princess stood and spoke directly to me.

"I apologize for causing this tension," she said, bowing her head slightly, "The problem is that... Transportation takes great amounts of magic, especially if it took you from such a faraway place; it even sounds similar to an entirely different dimension." I looked back at her the whole time, my crying session disappearing completely. Rather, I had a blank expression, but I was intent on listening to any information. She continued, "I cannot imagine anyone who is capable of anything such as this."

Hope was draining away from me, changing me from blank to depressed; I only stared at the floor. Link's grip on my left shoulder tightened, and he patted it afterwards.

"I..." Zelda's voice said a little hesitantly, "I may have a solution..." My head shot up instantly with my eyes wide; I was once again all ears for her words.

"This is an idea that occured to me when Link told me of your sudden trip into a forest; I cannot guarantee it will work, however, it is the only one I can provide..."

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